The
Acting Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Usman Abubakar has
stressed the need for all government agencies in the maritime sector
to carry out joint inspection of vessels at the ports in order to
fully actualize the Ease of Doing Business initiative of the Federal
Government.
Dr.
Abubakar who made this known when he led a joint team from the
Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Commission on a courtesy
visit to the Management of the Agency noted that it will aid the
turn-around-time of vessels calling at our part and also bring about
efficiency.
The
ICPC boss, who was represented by the Director, Public Enlightenment
and Spokesperson of the Commission, Mrs. Rashidat Okoduwa, Mni stated
that activities in the ports will no longer be business as usual for
operators and others who are yet to comply with the ease of doing
business initiative, hence the reason they are seeking partnership
with NIMASA and other agencies to join in the resolve to ensure a
business friendly and conducive maritime sector in Nigeria.
While
welcoming the delegation, the Director General of the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku
Peterside stated that transparency and integrity are crucial elements
that must be put in place in order to realize a robust maritime
sector in line with the Ease of Doing Business initiative of the
Federal Government.
“We
must be conscious of our international image because people who do
business in our ports have alternatives. We must strive to make our
ports user friendly and competitive; to achieve this, we need the
support of all Stakeholders in the maritime sector”, Dr.
Dakuku said.
He
further said NIMASA has fully keyed into the initiative of the ease
of doing business and will continue to partner other relevant
government bodies in the ports in order to fully realize the essence,
which is geared towards making the nation’s ports competitive,
adding that it will in turn bring about more employment opportunities
and also generate more revenues to add to the nation’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
Dr.
Dakuku called for sanctions to erring port operatives, stating that
it will serve as deterrent to others. He said, “Where
there are no consequences for offences, people will continue to err;
therefore the need to make people face the consequences for their
actions or inactions is not negotiable”.
The
NIMASA DG noted that the Agency has reviewed its Standards
Operational Procedures (SOP) manual and made the operational
departments sign a service level agreement whereby boarding any
vessel and other transactions will be done in record time, with a
view to reducing delay in turn-around-time of vessels and to enhance
trade facilitation. This he explained is in order to ensure full
compliance to the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business
agenda.
The
Executive Secretary of the NSC, Barrister Hassan Bello, who was
represented by the Director, Legal Services of the NSC, Mr. Samuel
Vongtau appealed for more collaborative efforts by all the various
agencies in the ports in order to realize an economically viable
maritime sector in Nigeria.
The
Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business initiative is geared
towards ensuring faster processes and procedures in ports activities
in the country, whereby vessels calling at the nation’s ports get
good time value for their businesses, thereby allowing for an
improved turn-around-time in all forms of port transactions. To
achieve this, all agencies in the ports are expected to collaborate
and ensure seamless transactions in line with global best
practices.
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